jimmyblues1959
Responses from jimmyblues1959
| I was happy with my system for 30 years; now I need a new amp...and more? For around $1600, you might consider a pair of Schiit Aegirs and use them as monoblocks. I believe in mono configuration they produce 40 watts per channel of class A power. | |
| Reliability of Dan D'Agostino equipment Can't speak to the newer gear by Dan, but I did have a Krell KSA 50 MK I that was very reliable. Also great sounding. As for why Dan started D'agostino Audio, I remember reading an article about Dan and his then wife, Rhondi partnering with som... | |
| Is it possible for a high end manufacturer to overprice their goods? IMHO, once you have established what the law of diminishing returns is on a piece of audio equipment, any money spent above that price becomes questionable. Of course, I am basing this on common sense. For instance, does a $200,000 audio sys... | |
| Does anyone know where this J. Gordon Holt comes from? J. Gordon Holt was one of the earliest pioneers of high-end audio. Having founded Stereophile magazine back in the 1960's, his candor and steadfast intent to improve the quality of home audio systems would become the foundation for the hobby that... | |
| Sold a component and bought it back, am I nuts? In the 1990’s I purchased a Classe Audio DR-3VHC pure class A power amplifier from a seller in the original Audiomart magazine (published by the late Walt Bender). About a year later I decided to sell the amplifier and listed it in Audiomart. Who... | |
| Dac: Old vs New I'm using a Schiit Modius AKM 4493 chipped dac and it sounds great.. It cost $179.99 from Schiit B stock. I've been using it for two years. It has micro USB, coaxial, optical, and AES inputs, and both SE and balanced outputs. I also use an IFi ... | |
| Thanks to Paul McGowan In the early 1990s I bought a Rotel RCD 855 compact disc player (retail price $399.99) which actually sounded pretty good on its own. It was equipped with a coaxial output which allowed the 855 to be used as a CD transport. Paul had recently in... | |
| Thanks to Paul McGowan Not surprised that you heard a significant improvement going from the stereo Carver amplifier to the PS Audio Monoblock amplifiers. IMHO, a well designed mono amplifier will usually outperform a well designed stereo amplifier. Even if the diffe... | |
| Stereo or monoblocks Back in the 1990s I was using a Naim based system 72/Hicap/250, and decided to try a pair of Naim’s 135 monoblocks (based on the 250). The differences were noticeable immediately. The Naim house sound remained but all sonic aspects improved. Most ... | |
| Were you an audiophile in the 1980s and 1990s? In the 1980's, I began my journey in Hi-End audio with an original Rega Planar 2, a Belles I amplifier, Belles I preamplifier, and a pair of 15 ohm teak Rogers LS3/5A's. It was a very musical system that I still remember fondly to this very ... | |
| CD TRANSPORT THAT MAKES AN AUDIBLE DIFFERENCE I use an Onkyo C7030 as a transport with an Audio By Van Alstine Insight multibit dac. IMHO the combination sounds quite good. Bought the C7030 new and the AVA used for a total cost of about $500.. | |
| Were you an audiophile in the 1980s and 1990s? IMHO, both Gordon and Harry played a valuable role in contributing to the betterment of audio products and most certainly the creation of the Hi-End audio industry that exists today. I think we can also thank Julian Hirsch of Hirsch Houck Labs ... | |
| Kenwood KA-8100 integrated Amp Yes, this old Japanese gear from the 1970's was built to last. I also have a Marantz 2230 receiver that I received from my parents as a 16th Birthday gift in the mid 1970's. Another time capsule that's been sitting in a cabinet for the past 4... | |
| Kenwood KA 8100 as a pre amp? Using my KA8100 as a preamp with a pair of Antique Sound Lab Wave 25 tube mono blocks, and it sounds quite good. Have had the KA-8100 since 1978 when I purchased it new. It really is a nice piece of gear. | |
| Kenwood KA-8100 integrated Amp Bought my Kenwood KA8100 new in 1978. Used it for about 5 years of light use, then gave it to my folks to use in a living room system where it sat in an enclosed cabinet for the last 40 years. I doubt that it has more than 100 hours on it since ... |